Manitowoc County chapters celebrate FFA Week

FFA members from around the U.S. — and Manitowoc County — have a variety of activities planned in coming days to recognize FFA Week, which runs Feb. 18-25. Pictured are Mishicot FFA members.(Photo: Courtesy of Jamie Propson)

The weeklong tradition began in 1947 when the National FFA designated the week of George Washington’s birthday as National FFA Week in recognition of his legacy as an agriculturist and farmer.

FFA members from around the U.S. — and Manitowoc County — have a variety of activities planned in coming days to recognize FFA Week, which runs Feb. 18-25. Pictured are Mishicot FFA members.(Photo: Courtesy of Jamie Propson)

The first National FFA Week was celebrated in 1948. These days, FFA Week runs from Saturday to Saturday and encompasses Feb. 22, Washington's birthday. National FFA Week 2017 runs Feb. 18-25.

Traditionally, FFA Week is a time for members, alumni, sponsors and the community to advocate for agricultural education and FFA, and share information about FFA and its impact.

FFA members from around the U.S. — and Manitowoc County — have a variety of activities planned in coming days to recognize FFA Week, which runs Feb. 18-25. Pictured are Mishicot FFA members.(Photo: Courtesy of Jamie Propson)

Northeastern Wisconsin chapters have scheduled a variety of activities, from the Ag Olympics (which includes straw bale toosing), trapshoots and breakfast events.

Mishicot has one of active local groups, with 122 members. There are 19,000 FFA members in Wisconsin, Propson said. The group attracts students from all sorts of backgrounds, from both rural and urban areas.

The program works hard to shed the old stereotype as an organization that caters to kids living on farms, dropping the name Future Farmers of America in the late 1980s.

FFA members from around the U.S. — and Manitowoc County — have a variety of activities planned in coming days to recognize FFA Week, which runs Feb. 18-25. Pictured are Mishicot FFA members.(Photo: Courtesy of Jamie Propson)

Kids interested in food and agriculture have many options for future work, she said, including the areas of food preparation, science, chemistry and even journalism. And those jobs are important to the state's economy.

According to FFA, about 354,000 jobs in Wisconsin are related to agriculture, and about 10 percent of the population works in a field tied to food or farming.

FFA works to help students explore some of those career options, Propson said. A unique part of the program is getting kids out of the classroom and into the community to gain hands-on experience.